An Afternoon
by Sakae Kashiwagi
Summary: Avatar Aang and his companions take a break from traveling. For once, it is just a peaceful afternoon.


Sokka stretched and yawned loudly, "Finally, a break from sitting on Appa."

Toph slowly climbed her was down from on top of the giant flying bison. When she got her feet on solid ground she stomped one foot and listened. "It goes on and on," she said more to herself than anyone else.

"What does?" Katara asked while setting down a bag.

"This place," Toph said wandering away.

Katara looked up. The hills covered in tall green grass seemed to roll on forever. "It's just like the south pole, except green."

"Yeah," Sokka said while trying to get Momo get off his shoulder, "that would be weird, green snow. Like cold buggers everywhere."

"Ew," Katara shook her head to get rid of the image in her head. What an odd thought process her brother had.

Katara looked around, "Where did Aang go?"

Sokka walked a couple of feet then suddenly disappeared into the grass as he sat down, "I dunno, he just jumped off Appa as soon as we landed."

"Over there," Toph said pointing.

Katara looked but saw nothing. In the direction Toph had pointed, Katara waded blindly through the tall grasses.

oOo

Aang laid back in the tall grass with the back of his head in his hands. He let out a contented sigh.

The white clouds floated in the bright blue sky above him.

Appa's chewing sounds mixed with those of the birds' songs.

"It's nice to just lay in the grass once in a while," Aang said closing his eyes.

A soft wind blew though the grasses, making them all quiver as if excited.

Aang heard footsteps coming toward him. He opened an eye.

Katara was standing above him. She gave him a warm smile.

"Hi," he said.

He said it like it was the first 'hi' he had ever given. It was calm and content, like none of the violence or pain had happened. It was like he was new. And for a moment, he was. For a moment, he had forgotten. He had forgotten because there was Katara standing above him, looking down at him, smiling.

Her blue eyes matched the sky.

Maybe her eyes were a shade darker, but they were just as boundless as the sky.

She sat down next to him and held her knees.

And there was silence. Not unpleasant silence. Happy, peaceful silence that is shared among people who are close.

"Katara," Aang said, "you sit like that on Appa. Here, you can stretch out." He extended his legs for emphasis, then let them fall back to the ground.

She straightened her back, then her legs, and then she was lying next to him.

Not too close though.

Her hands rested on top of her.

The clouds continued their endless drift across the sky.

Aang heard Katara breathing slowly and steadily next to him. He looked over at her. She was sleeping. The boundless eyes were closed.

He frowned for a selfish moment. He wanted to see those eyes open and looking at him. He closed his own eyes.

oOo

_The reflection of the moon shimmered on the water._

_Aang was waterbending. Katara was close to him. Wearing nothing but her white undergarments, waist deep in water, she instructed him as she always did._

_"No. Closer," she said gently, moving his elbows with her hands. Her arms were reaching around him from behind. He froze. When she moved away he went through the motions she had taught him. Water moved with his will._

_"Good," she said encouragingly. She then bended the water in the same way. "Now, come at me." She slowly backed away._

_"What?"_

_"Attack me, I'll block it. Don't worry."_

_"Okay," he said a little unsure. He moved water toward her. She swept it away._

_"Again, stronger this time."_

_He complied._

_She deflected it. "Keep going. Now I'm going to attack back." And she did._

_They began sparring. An attack of Katara's came close to Aang. He smirked, "You almost got me that time." He brought up watery whips. She followed suit. He lashed out toward her. She dodged and lashed back._

_They were getting more and more serious._

_Aang sent a swelling of water toward her. She was lifted up and taken unawares as she tried to regain her footing. He came at her swiftly, bending the water to propel him faster. He raised his hand toward her._

_Instead of water being bended toward her though, fire exploded from his hand._

_She looked up in time to see it coming at her. And to see Aang sending it toward her. But not in time to do anything about it._

_She screamed._

_Aang screamed. "No! Katara!"_

_The tongues of fire spread everywhere._

_"Katara!"_

_He looked for her in the water, but she was gone._

_"Katara!"_

_oOo _

Aang's eyes shot open.

The white clouds still sat in the blue expanse above him.

Aang felt Katara move against him. He looked at her. Somehow, in their sleep, she had come to rest her head on his shoulder. She murmured something inaudible, her brow creased with worry.

Taking his free hand, he pressed his fingers against her forehead and smoothed out the wrinkles. She murmured something again then sighed. All the stress in her face was gone.

He smiled. But he felt sad. He still hadn't shaken off the impression the dream had left him with.

Momo came crashing into view as he tried to chase a bug.

Katara stirred. Aang quickly pretended to be asleep.

Katara lifted her head slightly. She groggily looked around. Her eyes widened as she realized she had been sleeping on Aang's shoulder. A pink blush crept up her cheeks. Quickly, she sat up.

Aang then pretended to just wake up. "Huh? What is it? Why do you look like that?" He tried to put on his best sleepy face.

"N-nothing," she said watching Momo trying to eat a bug.

"Oh. Okay."

She looked over at him. He had a slight grin on his face.

Sokka yelled, "C'mon guys, let's keep moving!"

Katara got up and walked toward her brother and the others.

Aang hopped up with a gust of wind and followed her.

Sokka was waiting on top of Appa. Toph was feeling her was through the tall grasses toward them. Momo glided to a stop on top of Sokka. Katara climbed up next to Sokka and helped Toph up.

Aang stood in front of Appa happily looking up at them.

"Let's go twinkle toes!" Toph shouted grumpily.

Aang smiled. He jumped up onto Appa's head and took the reigns, "Yip, yip!"


End file.
